Unlikely Relationships
by LadyBowie1947
Summary: When Meg wishes Erik away to the goblins and Jareth is now stuck with a man who is perhaps more arrogant and infuriating than he is, some very unlikely relationships may form. JarethxErik. *Title and rating may change; summary shall always stink.


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_Oh, lookey, a new fic/series I will take forever to finish. Seriously, why do I still get faves/follows? XD Umm... Okay, so this is a crossover from "Labyrinth" and the 2004 version of "The Phantom of the Opera" - duh, considering where I listed it - that I came up with when my friend Christine and I started RPing my Jareth with her Erik just 'cause I'm weird and it popped into my head to try one night even though we usually do Erik with my OC Erin. ANYWAY, I hope this comes out well like I wanted it 'cause these two are like my TOP TWO favorite men from ANYWHERE! *Just put lotsa pressure on herself, huff* And I couldn't remember what color Gerard Butler's eyes really were but they look blue when he's Erik so that's the color I gave Erik here. Sooo, uhhh... on to the story, kay? Kay. (Wow, I just sounded like Christine right there.)_

* * *

A quill fell from a black leather clad hand and both hands rose to cover blue eyes, heels massaging into them as a tired sigh escaped parted lips. Wispy blond hair fell forward to frame a thin, pale face and strong shoulders sagged wearily before arms were folded across the desk before him and his head dropped onto them with a soft groan.

"Haven't had any wishers in _months_..." he grumbled. "It is not that I want the _work_... I am just _bored_!"

The Goblin King sat this way for several minutes before standing and pushing away from his desk with a heavy sigh. He made his way out of his office and down a few halls until he found himself near the bedchambers. With a bit of surprise, he realized he actually _wanted _to see what his little sister was up to - and that was saying something since she was usually annoying _him_.

He knocked politely then pushed her door open since she didn't care if he just came in anyway. "Theeeaaa," he sing-songed. "I'm booored."

The woman in question was sitting Indian style in the center of her bed, one hand held out in front of her, her fingers spread. The brush to a bottle of nail polish was in her other hand. She blinked up at him and tilted her head. "You're _always _bored lately, Jare. I'm half tempted to wish someone away just so you'd have something to do." She smiled innocently at him. "Of course, I'd run the Labyrinth for that person. And I'd never hit an oubliette or The Bog 'cause the Labyrinth likes me."

Jareth snorted, rolling his eyes. It was true his Labyrinth had taken a shine to his baby sister ever since she came to live with him instead of with their parents like their older brother. The Labyrinth easily obeyed her yet it constantly dragged its proverbial feet through the proverbial mud whenever he needed it to do something or needed to do something within its walls. That is, unless there was a runner. Then the Labyrinth was all business. Which made it hard to get too angry when it didn't listen to him at other times. It did its job as it should without hesitation and he had a feeling it was merely toying with him the other times anyway.

"Yes, well," he said, bringing himself back to the present and out of his thoughts. "I have a feeling it would be Axel," he said, referring to his sister's husband of only a few years, "and I don't think he'd be too pleased to have to spend thirteen hours with me nor would he be pleased with you for wishing him away. And what if you lose?"

She blinked at him as if she'd never thought of losing. "But the Labyrinth likes me. And Axel already _lives _here. So nothing would happen to him. He's too old to adopt away or turn into a goblin. And he's already an immortal like us because I _turned _him myself so that can't happen. So even if the Labyrinth didn't go easy on me and did its job well, nothing would happen to Axel other than a bad mood from being stuck with _you _for hours." She nonchalantly went back to painting her nails as if they were talking about something as mundane as the weather.

Jareth just stared at his sister in disbelief. It wasn't that he didn't know she was so cold-hearted - she wasn't. Althea was the most kind woman he'd ever known; second only to their mother. And it wasn't because she secretly hated her husband and was unhappy in her marriage. She was head over heels for the redheaded man she married and Jareth and Axel both knew it, the redhead returning her love with the same ferocity she gave it. It was how well she'd worked out every single facet of his job and the consequences of calling upon his services. He smiled proudly at his baby sister and chuckled affectionately. She'd have made a perfect Goblin Queen if she'd had the chance.

But he knew she didn't want to rule over a kingdom in the Underground like he did. Nor did she want to work for the council like their older brother. She wasn't interested in the politics of it all. Her place as she'd so often remind him with a passion that was nearly palpable was in a home as a wife and mother and though she didn't have any children yet, she was a wonderful wife and he knew she'd be a wonderful mother. She took care of _him _well and he was loathe to admit, but he was childlike sometimes and was grateful for her firm hand to smack him back into place - figuratively and sometimes literally. The thought made him wince and unconsciously rub his cheek at a memory of a time he'd made her angry with his idiocy.

She blinked up at him, frowning in concern, her hands once again paused in front of her. "Jareth? Something wrong?"

He chuckled and shook his head, sitting on the edge of the bed at her side. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking."

"Oh?" she asked with a knowing smile. "Of what?"

"Of what you said," he replied matter-of-factly. "About if you wished Axel to me. You seem to have everything figured out if you lost. You wouldn't really lose at all then."

She smiled softly and nodded once, no longer teasing or joking. "Of course. Axel means the world to me. I'd never wish him away for you to have something to do if I weren't sure he would be perfectly safe no matter the outcome." She stared down at her wet nails, frowning deeply. "I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost him."

Jareth frowned as well and reached to rub her back soothingly. He couldn't understand her feelings for her husband as he'd never yet been married or as in love as she was but he knew how much she loved and cared for Axel and he'd do anything to make sure she stayed that happy. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Relax, baby sister. I shall make sure you never lose him."

She nodded and smiled softly as she looked back up at him. "I know you will, big brother."

_"I wish the goblins would just come and take him away right now!"_

He grinned widely at the voice and the familiar tug of magic of a summons. "It appears I will not require you to make a wish for fun anyway. I have work to do!"

~oOoOo~

Giggles escaped the girls' lips as they hurried down the stairs, stopping to chalk the toes of their ballet shoes before hurrying to the stage. The opera house was busy with staff and performers preparing for rehearsal. Ballet dancers gathered in one area of the stage, giggling and chattering to each other, while the leading lady went about criticizing _everything_, her male opposite just watching her with a somewhat annoyed expression. The conductor passed out music scores to each member of the orchestra.

A dancer with curled brunette hair and brown eyes giggled at her blond friend as they waited to begin rehearsing. "Tell me again, Meg. What was that book called?"

Her friend brushed her straight hair back behind her shoulders, giggling with her friend. "Christine, how many times do I have to tell you? It's called The Labyrinth. It's a very small red book. It doesn't have very many pages but the story's good."

The brunette, Christine, only giggled more. "And what was it about?"

Meg sighed, no longer finding her friend's teasing funny. "A young girl named Sarah wishes away her baby half-brother Toby to the goblins and their King."

"And how does she do that?" Christine asked, tilting her head.

"With The Words," she said, emphasizing them as a title of something to show their importance. "But I can't say them to tell you what they are. If I say them, you'd be taken away and I'd have to run the King's Labyrinth to get you back and I might lose. And if I lost, you'd be stuck in the Goblin Kingdom forever. He might even turn you into a goblin."

Christine blinked at her, surprised at how serious she was. "Meg, you can't possibly think that story is true."

Her friend didn't have time to answer because an older woman with brown hair and blue eyes instructed them all to begin rehearsing their ballet. The dancers were flawless and the leading lady soon took center stage to begin singing her part. As she began to sing - loudly and slightly off-key - some of the staff slipped earplugs into their ears unbeknownst to the singer. Halfway through her number, one of the backdrops fell from its ropes and pushed her to the stage, pinning her. She screamed and complained as people rushed to help her up.

Meg moved over to Christine to make sure her friend was alright. "He's here - The Phantom of the Opera."

Christine nodded, frantically searching the rafters above where the stagehands were to be working the backdrops, knowing The Phantom would be up there. He was the one that caused one to fall, after all. "Always when Carlotta sings..."

Meg snorted and crossed her arms. "I wish the goblins would just come and take him away right now!"

Christine's eyes widened as her gaze snapped back to her friend. "Meg! You can't do that! That story's not even real and even if he does terrorize us, he's a human being."

"But if the goblins _did _take him away, we could all perform in peace without his controlling who has what part."

Christine shook her head, her dark curls swaying behind her. "Take it back, Meg."

But it was too late. All the candles blew out, sending the room into darkness. Instead of The Phantom's voice echoing over the stage like they'd experienced before, a barn owl began to circle over them all, hardly anyone noticing it in the darkened room.

Meg shrieked as it swooped down near her, ducking behind Christine. "What is that?!"

Christine mutely shook her head and whispered, "An owl..."

They both watched with wide eyes as the owl landed before them, glitter swirling around it. In the blink of an eye, a tall, thin man with wispy blond hair that went down past his shoulders and up-swept eyebrows above mismatched blue eyes stood before them, a black cape swirling around him. He stared at them with a piercing gaze, raising a hand encased in a black leather glove. They flinched back as he did, not sure what he would do.

Meg frantically looked around at everyone around them, hoping someone would help them. Everyone just watched, frozen in shock. She was only slightly relieved when she saw her mother standing nearby.

"Meg Giry," he said in a low voice with a faint English accent and her gaze snapped back to him to see he held something in his outstretched hand. "I've brought you a gift," he said, juggling the crystal over his hands and arms. "It's a crystal; nothing more. But if you turn it this way, it'll show you your dreams." He stilled the crystal on an outstretched hand again

Her wide eyes were locked on him as she slowly stepped forward. "H-How do you know my name?"

He only smirked at her and kept his hand up. "Do you want it?"

"No!" Madame Giry quickly grabbed her daughter's arm and tugged her back behind her with Christine protectively, stepping in front of the two girls. "Leave her alone!"

His eyes became cold and he lifted his chin in an imposing manner, the simple action seeming to make him appear taller than he had been standing perfectly straight. "Madame, I shall not harm your daughter. She simply needs to accept my offer for her wish or run my Labyrinth to rescue the man she wished away."

"My wish...?" Meg cautiously peered out from behind her mother then glanced at Christine, her wide eyes clearly showing her friend she had no idea that the book was true, then stared back at the Goblin King and slowly stepped forward. "Your Majesty..." She bit her lip and scanned the room, staring at everyone who had been watching them, before looking back up at him. "I think it is best for everyone here if you keep him." She carefully reached for the crystal, staring at it as it settled in her palms.

The Goblin King smirked and bowed to her, swirling his cape. "As you wish." He straightened and with a swirl of his cape and a puff of glitter, he was gone again, the candles flaming back to life and brightening the room.

Everyone stared at each other, not sure what to expect now. How long until The Phantom terrorized them again? Or was he really gone like the strange man had said? The only proof he'd ever been there at all was the strange crystal in Meg's hands, both her and Christine staring at it and each other.

Only time would tell if her wish was true and if it had been the right thing to do.

~oOoOo~

Black leather clad hands ran down a bare face, a white half mask lying on the piano at his side. He groaned softly in frustration before picking up his mask and putting back in place and standing and moving away from the piano, pushing a candle to the floor with a growl as he passed it, the flame extinguished before it even hit the stone floor. Anxious hands ran through black hair as blue eyes scanned the room.

"I cannot focus well enough to compose," he growled, eyes narrowing. "That has never happened before. The music always just _comes _to me. Why is today different?" he mused, beginning to pace.

He didn't notice the unusual shadows running across the walls in the candlelight or the soft, childlike giggling. Not until a candle was knocked to the ground and something clung to his leg, that is. He whirled to glare at whoever dared enter _his _lair and destroy _his _property and dare _touch _him, but all he saw were little creatures dressed in armor – which he noticed upon closer inspection to be pots and pans; one even had a colander on its head.

Snarling, he shook the one off his leg and backed up, hands fisted so tight that his leather gloves creaked and eyes narrowed. "What the bloody _hell _are you doing in here?!"

The one he'd shaken from his leg stepped forward and stared up at him bravely. "Erik must come with goblins."

His eyes widen in surprise. That little creature had just called itself a... a _goblin_?! "Goblins?!" He snorted. "Goblins do not exist." He crossed his arms then froze. Wait. It also called him by his given name. _No one _knew his given name! He glared darkly at it and took a threatening step forward, fisting his hands at his side again. "How do you know my name?!"

A few goblins behind him stepped back in fear, visibly shaking, but the one before him simply stared up at him. "Erik must come with goblins," it repeated. "Lady wish it."

"Lady?" He paused and blinked in confusion. He didn't personally know any women that would want to- No. It couldn't be. He narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low, cold tone. "What. Lady?"

Still the goblin was not afraid and simply shrugged. "Lady with yellow hair."

Yellow hair? He relaxed and sighed in relief. Good, it was not Christine. He shook his head and sat at his piano. "I am still not coming with you so be gone. Before I throw you all into the lake."

Before he could react, goblins surrounded him from all sides and grabbed onto his legs. He tensed and snarled but in the blink of an eye, they weren't in his lair anymore. They'd appeared in a room full of goblins, all laughing and drinking and generally being loud. The ones that held him let go and moved to join the others, all acting as if he weren't there.

"What the hell?!" He whirled around, trying to find a way out but couldn't see past the goblins. "Where the hell am I?!"

None of the goblins responded, too busy with their ale and themselves to notice the irate man marching from place to place around the room, trying to get someone's attention or a place to get out. If only he had his lasso. But then again, he hadn't been expecting to be ambushed in his own lair and taken prisoner in some strange place.

With a growl of frustrated annoyance, he dropped into the only chair in the room- an odd thing with a curved, low back with some sort of cloth hooked around the back. He sat back and crossed his arms, waiting for _something _or _someone _to explain where he was and how to get back home. After a few minutes, he became bored enough just sitting there that his eyes slowly fell closed though he remained awake, the cacophony of the room being sure of that.

His eyes didn't open until a throat cleared in front of him. He opened them to see a tall blond man with mismatched blue eyes narrowed at him, his arms crossed, cape swaying around him. His own eyes narrowed as he stood and glared at the man who was about the same height as him.

"Where the hell am I, why am I here, and you bloody well better take me home!" he demanded.

The man sighed and rubbed his temples then waved a hand dismissively. "You are in my kingdom, you were wished away, and you will not be going home. Now," he said, turning toward a small set of stairs up to an archway that in turn led to a larger staircase, "follow me and I will show you to your rooms."

Erik snarled and reached to yank at his arm. "I am _not _staying here! And wishes do not come true. Now take... me... home!"

Jareth growled and jerked his arm back, glaring at the masked man before him. "You have been wished to me by a Meg Giry. You are too old to become a goblin. You will stay here until you've adapted - which could very well take _years _to fully transform you - or another immortal turns you fully. _Then _you may leave the castle and live wherever Underground you please. But while you are still human, you will stay with me. Now," he continued in a frustrated tone, "follow me to your rooms." He turned and continued on, not waiting for Erik's argument.

Deciding now was not a good time to argue and he could think better once he was left alone, Erik followed Jareth up the stairs, glaring at the other man's back, his own gloved hands fisted at his sides. What was all that about "turning" him? What the hell was an "immortal"? He mentally snorted. No one loved him. Who the hell would even _want _to let him live forever? And surely once they knew of the things he'd done back in Paris, he'd be executed by the King. There were definitely enough Parisians that wanted him dead.

Jareth led him up the stairs and down a few hallways - he made a mental note of the way so he could find his way around and would not be stuck in his rooms - until they made it to one filled with sets of double doors, all dark wood, the stone walls around them bare of any decorations. There was a slightly larger set at the end of the hall. He assumed that must be Jareth's rooms. The Goblin King pushed open a set near his own, pushing them open and stepping aside to allow Erik in first.

The Phantom stepped into the room which was decorated in dark woods and light blues. He wrinkled his nose, finding this theme fairly feminine. Not that he cared. He didn't plan to be there more than a few days before forcing the Goblin King to send him home. He moved around the room, deciding he liked the large bed that sat against the wall opposite the door and the matching nightstands on either side of it, each with ornate candles. To the left of the doorway was a good sized dark wood desk and matching chair. The only items on the desk were a sheaf of papers and an inkwell and quill. A shelf attached to the top of the desk. He assumed it was meant for books or journals. To the right of the door was a sitting area, a couch and two matching chairs settled around a low coffee table, the entire set facing a large fireplace. Two doors were set into the wall right-adjacent to the entrance, set away from the fireplace and across from the bed. Upon further inspection, Erik found one to be a large walk-in closet - empty - and the other to be a fully working bathroom with a sunken tub, a shower set in an arched alcove, a large counter sink with a mirror above it, both taking up half a wall, the other half occupied by tall racks of towels and other bath items. A privacy screen hid part of the farthest wall but he found only a toilet behind it.

Returning back to Jareth in the doorway, he only blinked at him, tilting his head. "You use modern plumbing?"

He wasn't sure what he expected his reaction to be. But he sure as hell was not expecting the Goblin King to laugh at him - he glared at him for this. "Of course. We've upgraded somewhat. I believe my sister has put a television in the library. She sometimes requests she and I have 'movie nights' as she calls them." He shakes his head to dismiss the thoughts then lifts his chin regally as he speaks again. "You may go anywhere you please in the castle and stables but do not go near the Labyrinth without my sister or myself." He stares pointedly at his mask. "And perhaps you should not go into the city. Wouldn't want to frighten the goblins." He turns to go, glancing at him over his shoulder. "If you need anything, please ask anyone. We are all happy to help."

And with that, Erik was left alone in a strange room in a strange castle in a strange kingdom in a strange realm and with a head spinning from all the new information and all the questions he had, all plans for getting back to Paris forgotten for now.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_So... I _really _hope this is long enough. I'm trying to get chapters longer than how they are in my other fics like JTGKADB or BABBNYB and I tried to make this longer. As a side note, I know "modern" for Erik would be whatever they had in 18__7__0 __and I'm pretty sure they didn't have running water but because I suck at being periodically correct, Erik knows about them. Anyway, reviews please. The Goblin King and The Phantom demand it!_


End file.
